Ought
modal verb
Used to indicate duty or correctness, typically when criticizing someone's actions.
You ought to have been careful
Often appears as...
- ought to have
- ought to be
modal verb
Used to indicate something that is probable.
Five minutes ought to be enough
Often appears as...
- ought to be
- ought to have
modal verb
Used to suggest something.
We ought to create a playlist for the party
Often appears as...
- ought to have
- ought to do
modal verb
Used to indicate duty or correctness, typically when criticizing someone's actions.
You ought to have been careful
Often appears as...
- ought to have
- ought to be
modal verb
Used to indicate something that is probable.
Five minutes ought to be enough
Often appears as...
- ought to be
- ought to have
modal verb
Used to suggest something.
We ought to create a playlist for the party
Often appears as...
- ought to have
- ought to do
Definition 1 of 3
Pro Tip 1/3Expressing Expectation
Use 'ought to' to express what is expected from someone, subtly different from commanding.
You ought to apologize for arriving late.
Pro Tip 2/3Soft Criticism
'Ought to' can imply disappointment or critique in someone's actions more gently than direct statements.
You really ought to have checked your work.
Pro Tip 3/3Moral Obligation
It's used for advising based on moral grounds, indicating a sense of duty rather than strict obligation.
We ought to help those in need.
Pro Tip 1/3Expressing Expectation
Use 'ought to' to express what is expected from someone, subtly different from commanding.
You ought to apologize for arriving late.
Pro Tip 2/3Soft Criticism
'Ought to' can imply disappointment or critique in someone's actions more gently than direct statements.
You really ought to have checked your work.
Pro Tip 3/3Moral Obligation
It's used for advising based on moral grounds, indicating a sense of duty rather than strict obligation.
We ought to help those in need.
Pro Tip 1/3Expressing Expectation
Use 'ought to' to express what is expected from someone, subtly different from commanding.
You ought to apologize for arriving late.
Pro Tip 2/3Soft Criticism
'Ought to' can imply disappointment or critique in someone's actions more gently than direct statements.
You really ought to have checked your work.
Pro Tip 3/3Moral Obligation
It's used for advising based on moral grounds, indicating a sense of duty rather than strict obligation.
We ought to help those in need.
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Video examples
Lessons from death row...
Instead, let me talk about a couple of modes of intervention that we can all help accomplish, because they are modes of intervention that will come about when legislators and policymakers, when taxpayers and citizens, agree that that's what we ought to be doing and that's how we ought to be spending our money.
Video examples
A brief history of...
and other contemporary processes cannot only alter the way humans experience emotional and physical pain, but that world ecosystems ought to be redesigned so that animals don't suffer in the wild. He calls his project "paradise engineering." But is there something sad about a world without sadness?
Video examples
How we'll earn money in...
they're thinking about as they play the game. It's often something that's very intuitive, it's almost just like a feeling about which move they should make. So given those two qualities, I would say that playing Go at a world champion level really ought to be something that's safe from automation,
Video examples
Why Are Plankton the...
that's smaller than the diameter of a human hair now while plankton may appear to be aimless drifters directionless in their movements in life they play a key role and perhaps the most vital organism on earth you see each and every plankton ought to be more precise planning to
Video examples
Is it possible to create...
because according to the current theories, the quantum fluctuations in the vacuum of space ought to have 120 orders of magnitude more energy than we observe. Solving the mystery of that missing energy may entirely rewrite our understanding of physics and the universe.
Video examples
Why do we have museums?...
As you can see, we have a lion here and a gladiator, and, well, the janitor ought to be in this wing clearly. Moving on, hurry along. The next step in the evolution of museums occurred in the Renaissance, when the study of the natural world was once again encouraged
Video examples
Malcolm Gladwell: The...
We think the things we make can solve our problems, but our problems are much more complex than that. The issue isn't the accuracy of the bombs you have, it's how you use the bombs you have, and more importantly, whether you ought to use bombs at all.
Video examples
Where is Africa in our...
ought to see by then we were to develop 6,000 change agents for Africa let's say a hundred of these have become effective and ethical political leaders who are contributing to peace and stability on the continent another hundred have
Video examples
Science can answer moral...
of the way the world is that can tell us how the world ought to be. But I think this is quite clearly untrue. Values are a certain kind of fact. They are facts about the well-being of conscious creatures.
Video examples
The Last Battle PIPE Wicked...
they happen said that one ought to get you twenty dollars a pound I really would have liked to get more but hey it is what it is what's gonna
Video examples
Lessons from death row...
Instead, let me talk about a couple of modes of intervention that we can all help accomplish, because they are modes of intervention that will come about when legislators and policymakers, when taxpayers and citizens, agree that that's what we ought to be doing and that's how we ought to be spending our money.
Video examples
A brief history of...
and other contemporary processes cannot only alter the way humans experience emotional and physical pain, but that world ecosystems ought to be redesigned so that animals don't suffer in the wild. He calls his project "paradise engineering." But is there something sad about a world without sadness?
Video examples
How we'll earn money in...
they're thinking about as they play the game. It's often something that's very intuitive, it's almost just like a feeling about which move they should make. So given those two qualities, I would say that playing Go at a world champion level really ought to be something that's safe from automation,
Video examples
Why Are Plankton the...
that's smaller than the diameter of a human hair now while plankton may appear to be aimless drifters directionless in their movements in life they play a key role and perhaps the most vital organism on earth you see each and every plankton ought to be more precise planning to
Video examples
Is it possible to create...
because according to the current theories, the quantum fluctuations in the vacuum of space ought to have 120 orders of magnitude more energy than we observe. Solving the mystery of that missing energy may entirely rewrite our understanding of physics and the universe.
Video examples
Why do we have museums?...
As you can see, we have a lion here and a gladiator, and, well, the janitor ought to be in this wing clearly. Moving on, hurry along. The next step in the evolution of museums occurred in the Renaissance, when the study of the natural world was once again encouraged
Video examples
Malcolm Gladwell: The...
We think the things we make can solve our problems, but our problems are much more complex than that. The issue isn't the accuracy of the bombs you have, it's how you use the bombs you have, and more importantly, whether you ought to use bombs at all.
Video examples
Where is Africa in our...
ought to see by then we were to develop 6,000 change agents for Africa let's say a hundred of these have become effective and ethical political leaders who are contributing to peace and stability on the continent another hundred have
Video examples
Science can answer moral...
of the way the world is that can tell us how the world ought to be. But I think this is quite clearly untrue. Values are a certain kind of fact. They are facts about the well-being of conscious creatures.
Video examples
The Last Battle PIPE Wicked...
they happen said that one ought to get you twenty dollars a pound I really would have liked to get more but hey it is what it is what's gonna
Example 1 of 10
Quote examples
Plato
Greek Philosopher
We ought to fly away from earth to heaven as quickly as we can; and to fly away is to become like God, as far as this is possible; and to become like him is to become holy, just, and wise.
Quote examples
Thomas Jefferson
American President
So confident am I in the intentions, as well as wisdom, of the government, that I shall always be satisfied that what is not done, either cannot, or ought not to be done.
Quote examples
Victor Hugo
French Author
One sometimes says: 'He killed himself because he was bored with life.' One ought rather to say: 'He killed himself because he was bored by lack of life.
Quote examples
Gilbert K. Chesterton
English Writer
In matters of truth the fact that you don't want to publish something is, nine times out of ten, a proof that you ought to publish it.
Quote examples
John Locke
English Philosopher
All mankind... being all equal and independent, no one ought to harm another in his life, health, liberty or possessions.
Quote examples
John Ruskin
English Writer
Life being very short, and the quiet hours of it few, we ought to waste none of them in reading valueless books.
Quote examples
Gordon B. Hinckley
American Clergyman
We live in a world of shifting values. The family is falling apart. Parents failing in what they ought to do.
Quote examples
Bill Watterson
American Cartoonist
If your knees aren't green by the end of the day, you ought to seriously re-examine your life.
Quote examples
Saint Augustine
Saint
In doing what we ought we deserve no praise, because it is our duty.
Quote examples
Michel de Montaigne
French Philosopher
A wise man sees as much as he ought, not as much as he can.
Quote examples
Plato
Greek Philosopher
We ought to fly away from earth to heaven as quickly as we can; and to fly away is to become like God, as far as this is possible; and to become like him is to become holy, just, and wise.
Quote examples
Thomas Jefferson
American President
So confident am I in the intentions, as well as wisdom, of the government, that I shall always be satisfied that what is not done, either cannot, or ought not to be done.
Quote examples
Victor Hugo
French Author
One sometimes says: 'He killed himself because he was bored with life.' One ought rather to say: 'He killed himself because he was bored by lack of life.
Quote examples
Gilbert K. Chesterton
English Writer
In matters of truth the fact that you don't want to publish something is, nine times out of ten, a proof that you ought to publish it.
Quote examples
John Locke
English Philosopher
All mankind... being all equal and independent, no one ought to harm another in his life, health, liberty or possessions.
Quote examples
John Ruskin
English Writer
Life being very short, and the quiet hours of it few, we ought to waste none of them in reading valueless books.
Quote examples
Gordon B. Hinckley
American Clergyman
We live in a world of shifting values. The family is falling apart. Parents failing in what they ought to do.
Quote examples
Bill Watterson
American Cartoonist
If your knees aren't green by the end of the day, you ought to seriously re-examine your life.
Quote examples
Saint Augustine
Saint
In doing what we ought we deserve no praise, because it is our duty.
Quote examples
Michel de Montaigne
French Philosopher
A wise man sees as much as he ought, not as much as he can.
Example 1 of 10
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